Why Austin Rivers over Anthony Davis for the top spot in the final 2011 Rivals150 rankings? For starters, Rivals.com analyst Jerry Meyer says there "is no doubt in my mind that (Rivers) will be a high-level scorer and play-maker in the NBA." Meyer discusses other reasons for the decision, along...[details]

Strengths: Wright is an ideal power forward in today's NBA. He has tremendous length and athleticism, and his game is very fluid for a player his size. His massive hands and fantastic natural instincts make him an ideal target on fast breaks, and in the post he can catch any ball thrown in his area. Offensively, Wright is strongest in the post. He has a devastating hook shot that is released so quickly and so high, that it is nearly impossible to block. His touch on shots close to the basket also improved tremendously over the course of the season, making him even more of a threat on offense. Defensively, Wright's 7'4" wingspan and good speed make him a potential nightmare for offenses in the future. Still a raw player who is learning the game, Wright was able to average a steal and nearly two blocks per game just on his physical gifts alone.

Weaknesses: At only 200 pounds, Wright lacks the upper body strength to back down opponents in the post, having to rely on his speed instead. His jump shot, which has nice touch inside of 12 feet, all but disappears beyond that point. His free-throw shooting is just as poor. He shot only 56.7% from the line, in large part to his awkward shooting mechanics. At times it appears that Wright is almost lackadaisical on the court, relying on his natural abilities and not showing any intensity. While he may be able to fall back on his physical gifts in college, that will not be the case at the next level.

Outlook: Wright is a top-five pick and is likely to go third overall. He projects as a power forward initially, but has the athleticism to eventually become a small forward, but must first improve his range and ball handling skills.

DraftExpress covers the NBA Draft for Rivals.com. Their work can also be found at Complete Bio]